Basis of War
by xXMystery PrincessXx
Summary: FieldClan is in the midst of chaos. Can some new kits help them circumvent disaster? **T for minor sexual mentions**
1. Chapter 1

FieldClan

Leader: Darkstar: dark gray tom with amber eyes

Deputy: Hawkfire: brown tabby tom with white forepaws and green eyes

Medicine Cat: Brindlefrost: silver tabby she-cat

Warriors

Rainpetal—silver tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Russetbird: small russet and white she-cat with bright green eyes

Dustcloud: lazy cream tom with deep green eyes

Eagleheart—brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

Swiftfrost: small black and white tom with amber eyes

Rowanflower: small russet she-cat with white paws and underbelly and green eyes

Rushfoot: small pale silver tabby tom with yellow eyes

Queens:

Morningstream: pale ginger and white she-cat with amber eyes (Expecting Eagleheart's kits)

Spottedthorn: small tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes (Mother of Rushfoot's kits: Cherrykit, Aspenkit, and Flintkit)

Ripplesong: silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes (mother of Dustcloud's kits: Mudkit and Smokekit)

Skypool: silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes (expecting Dustcloud's kits)

Kits:

Owlkit: spotted pale brown tabby she-cat with silver tipped points and green eyes

Aspenkit: silver tabby she-cat with a fluffy, white-tipped tail and green eyes

Flintkit: gray tabby tom with white forepaws and green eyes

Mudkit: gray tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

Stormkit: long-furred dark gray tom with yellow eyes

Elders

Dawntalon: cream tom with darker dapples and yellow eyes

Fallowfang: deep russet she-cat with green eyes

OceanClan

Leader: Spraystar: blue gray tom (with darker and lighter dapples scattered over his pelt) with blue eyes

Deputy: Ivyheart: silver tabby and white she-cat with green eyes

Medicine cat: Cindershade: long-furred dark gray she-cat with yellow eyes

Warriors

Waterstorm: dappled blue gray tom with white paws and blue eyes (apprentice: Stempaw)

Dewflower: silver tabby she-cat with green eyes

Adderclaw: gray and light brown tom with yellow eyes (apprentice: Redpaw)

Willowheart: silver tabby she-cat with green eyes

Cedarleaf: russet tom with yellow eyes

Echocloud: silver tabby tom with green eyes (apprentice: Cornpaw)

Hailstep: dappled gray tom with white underbelly and blue eyes

Ravenwing: black she-cat with green eyes (apprentice: Smokepaw)

Robinsong: dark gray she-cat with ginger flash on chest; green eyes (apprentice: Featherpaw)

Queens:

Goldenwing: golden tabby she-cat with yellow eyes (mother of Cedarleaf's kits, Leafkit and Frozenkit)

Mistysong: pale gray she-cat with white paws and blue eyes (expecting Waterstorm's kits)

Kits:

Leafkit: pale brown tabby she-cat

Frozenkit: mute silver tabby she-cat

Elders:

Briarsong: tortoiseshell she-cat with yellow eyes

CliffClan

Leader: Dawnstar: cream she-cat

Deputy: Silversplash: silver tabby she-cat

Medicine cat: Grayleaf: long-furred gray she-cat

Warriors:

Fogfang: pale gray, almost white, tom with blind, ghost blue eyes (apprentice: Jaypaw)

Frogfoot: dark gray and dark brown tom (apprentice: Blackpaw)

Ratwhisker: dark gray tom

Toadleap: dark brown tom (apprentice: Bramblepaw)

Embersong: dark gray she-cat with black paws

Queens:

Fernfang: dark gray she-cat (mother of Ratwhisker's kits: Pinekit and Galekit)

Elders:

Timberstep: gray tom

Prologue

Night had fallen over the FieldCan camp as Darkstar leapt onto Highrock, his silhouette barely discernible against the black sky. "May all cats old enough to mate gather here under Highrock for a clan meeting!" he yowled in his raspy mew. Ears flicked; confused mews rose up. This was not Darkstar's normal call. Offering a few grumblings, the warriors dragged themselves up beneath the Highrock, prepared to observe what their leader had to say at such an hour. With some coaxing, Rowanflower got Swiftfrost out of the den. Spottedthorn, the former rogue, stood in the corner of the clearing, away from the rest of the cats.

"As you all know," Darkstar began, "We are in dire need of young cats. There are no apprentices in the den, no kits in the nursery, none on the way." Young warriors murmured their approval; the senior warriors glanced at one another uneasily. They didn't like where this was going. Swiftfrost curled into Rowanflower, eyes gleaming with grief. She murmured something comforting to him and glanced back up to Darkstar.

"After consulting with Brindlefrost and Hawkfire, we have found a plan to…" Darkstar swallowed hard. "…to provide more kits." The cats apprehensively muttered to themselves. "We have organized mating orders—"

"No!"

"We can't!

"We'll be mocked!"

"Ridiculed!"

"_Silence!_" Darkstar bellowed. Head bowed, he began, "I am not exempt from my own order. I will mate with Rainpetal. Hawkfire will mate with Russetbird. Dustcloud will go with Ripplesong and Skypool. Swiftfrost shall go with Rowanflower—" The yowling of disapproval had grown so loud, he could no longer be heard. Swiftfrost was hunched over in grief; Rowanflower was murmuring in his ear. Dustcloud's mouth was gaping open; Ripplesong and Skypool were speaking soft protests between themselves. "Shut up!" Darkstar yowled again. Quiet resumed. "Eagleheart and Morningstream have been paired. Finally…" He glanced from Rushfoot to Spottedthorn. "Rushfoot and Spottedthorn."

The silver tabby howled. "No! I won't mate with a rogue!" His claws lashed against the ground. "I refuse! I won't do it!"

"I'm no more rogue than you!" Spottedthorn snapped in return.

"Filthy thinblood!"

"Stop!" Darkstar hissed. Both froze. "Any capable cat who refuses to take part in this will be put into immediate exile. Good night." He turned and whisked into his den, frightened of the weight of what he had just done.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter One

Rushfoot sprinted from the forest into the camp. _My kits!_ he thought, bowling over two young warriors in his hurry to the nursery. Brindlefrost was standing outside. "Can I see them?" he demanded, bouncing with nervous excitement. "Please?" His silver fur was on end; his yellow eyes glowed.

"Please be kind to Spottedthorn. She had a rough birth. Congratulations." Brindlefrost touched noses to him fondly and walked away as he entered the nursery. The smells of warmth and milk overwhelmed him.

"Rushfoot?" She and her kits were curled into the corner of the den. Her voice was weak, thin and dry as leaves.

"Spottedthorn." He lay down next to her, gazing over his kits. "Congratulations. They're beautiful."

She purred, surprising him. He'd never seen her show happiness before. She lay her head down.

"Have you named them?"

"I was waiting on you." She yawned. "I think we should name the tabby Cherrykit." Rushfoot watched her face carefully, seeing the grief flash across her sea-green eyes and then vanish.

"The gray, Flintkit?" he suggested.

"It's beautiful."

They stared at the final, silver she-cat. "Aspenkit," they said in unison. Rushfoot gave a light laugh, but it died quickly; Spottedthorn had stopped purring. "Spottedthorn?" No response. He glanced over her face and found her to be dead asleep. He gave a smile and exited the den.

Rushfoot, on the Gathering patrol, headed to Fourtrees. He was nervous; they weren't meant to speak of the new mating standards in FieldClan, but chances were it would leak. He brushed up against Swiftfrost as they descended into the clearing. "What was that thing Darkstar was talking about earlier? I was with Spottedthorn; I couldn't hear the announcements. Something he's going to say tonight?"

Swiftfrost cringed at the mention of Rushfoot's mate; his own, Pinesong, along with their kits, had been murdered a moon before the new mating order. "Darkstar will request two apprentices or kits from both clans."

Rushfoot cringed. "That's not going to go over well." Swiftfrost shook his head and walked away. Rushfoot glanced up; CliffClan was arriving.

Dawnstar, the leader of CliffClan, leapt onto the rock and began to speak. "I'll go first." She was still panting from their descent into the clearing. "Timberstep moved into the elder's den. We have a newly christened warrior, Embersong." Everyone cheered. "Also, Spraystar, be on alert for a bear we drove into your territory. That is all."

Spraystar gave her an icy glare. "Thank you, Dawnstar," he replied drily. "We really needed a bear in our territory." He cleared his throat. "We have two new warriors, Willowheart and Dewflower." He waited for cheers to subside. "We had a shark come into our territory, but we waited it out and it left in a few days." He nodded to Darkstar. "You best watch out for it."

"We will, thank you, Spraystar." He sucked in a deep breath. "FieldClan has a request." Silence rang out. "We have not had kits in many moons. There are no apprentices in the den. Our warriors are aging and no young life is coming to replace them." He gave a long sigh. "So we come to you, requesting two kits or apprentices from each clan."

Yowls of outrage rose up. "Never!" CliffClan warriors howled. Ravenwing ducked close to Smokepaw and Featherpaw, two OceanClan apprentices. Some young warriors were leaping on FieldClan cats; slowly, it appeared that some of FieldClan was being forced out of Fourtrees.

"Silence!" Spraystar bellowed. The chaos ceased. "What will happen if we refuse to comply?" he hissed, hair rising. His blue eyes were angry.

Darkstar bowed his head. "Nothing. This is a request, not a demand. We will not attack if you refuse to give us kits." After another pause, he continued, "This Gathering is over." He leapt off of the rock and guided his clan out of the clearing.

Spraystar dashed into camp. "I need Cindershade, Ivyheart, all queens, and all apprentices to meet by the training hollow." Goldenwing tapped noses with Hailstep and exited the nursery. Smokepaw and Featherpaw trotted over with darkness in their eyes; Stempaw and Cornpaw followed not quite so eagerly.

The cats made a circular shape with Spraystar at the head. "FieldClan is a clan in need," he began. "As long-time allies with them, I believe it is our duty—"

"We owe them nothing!" Ivyheart snarled. "Not our kits, not our apprentices, nothing!"

Cindershade glared at her and flicked her tail. With a grumble, Ivyheart sat back down. But then Cindershade interrupted. "She has a point. I spoke to Brindlefrost; she stated that Spottedthorn gave birth to three kits this morning. I was told they were healthy and would make good warriors; I haven't a clue what would make Darkstar impose this on us."

Spraystar blinked long and hard at her. "Are you sure you haven't a clue?" he murmured; he knew his medicine cat well, and he was good at detecting when she was lying.

"Spottedthorn?" Mistysong broke in. "That tortoiseshell rogue? I can't imagine her ever taking on a mate, let alone bearing kits. She's so harsh and cruel. I don't understand how her own clanmates stand her."

Under the pressure of Spraystar's hot blue gaze, Cindershade broke. "She didn't take on a mate," she whispered hurriedly. "At least not willingly. Brindlefrost told me that every able warrior was forced to couple with another of the opposite gender. Anyone who refused was threatened with immediate exile. Rushfoot and Spottedthorn were almost thrown out on the first night." She gulped, realizing how much she had not only just betrayed her friend, but the whole of FieldClan.

"That's horrible," Goldenwing whispered. "Darkstar must be extremely pressured to force that onto his clanmates."

Spraystar appeared very serious. "Is there anyone here willing to assist a clan in need?" he asked.

Smokepaw and Featherpaw exchanged a look and a nod. They stepped forward together, fur brushing. "We'll go, Spraystar. We'll help FieldClan." He heaved a deep breath. "OceanClan has earned our loyalties. Now I believe it's time to transfer them for the good of FieldClan."

"I agree," Goldenwing broke in, lips trembling. "I will…I will be willing to offer my daughter, Frozenkit, to FieldClan."

Spraystar dipped his head. "Of course. Let us return to the clan." He headed back to his Ledge. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey join here under the Ledge for a clan meeting!" And they all emerged from the dens, slightly wary, apprehensively wondering who was being take from their clan. "Featherpaw and Stormpaw have decided that they are willing to leave OceanClan." Gasps rose up from the rest of the apprentices. Ravenwing and Robinsong looked grim. "And Goldenwing has offered to send one of her kits, Frozenkit, with them."

Hailstep broke through the crowd to Goldenwing. "How…How could you?" he bellowed, eyes alive with grief. "How could you do this to me? To our family? To our daughter?" He was blinking quickly, fur rising. "I trusted you!"

She said nothing to him, only backing away, reentering the nursery.

"They leave before dawn, and if they are spotted on this territory after sun-high tomorrow, they are to be attacked as enemies." Spraystar evacuated into his den, not believing what he had just done.

Featherpaw and Smokepaw headed to their den, as well. The former managed to close her eyes and rest; Smokepaw did not. Instead, he was tormented by vicious visions of FieldClan rejecting them, OceanClan casting them out, being forced to live as loners again. It won't happen. FieldClan will accept us readily. This is what they wanted. He sighed and rose, shaking off. He headed to the nursery.

"Goldenwing?"

The queen raised her head. "Smokepaw." She gave a broken smile. Frozenkit was at her belly. "I was just…saying goodbye."

"You don't have to do this, Goldenwing."

She bowed her head. "It will be best for her."

"You don't know that."

"I've heard the others making fun of her already. She's scarcely a moon old."

"The same will occur in FieldClan. It's a disability. She'll get over it."

"How can you be sure?"

"I just know. She's strong."

She got up and touched her nose to his head. "You can't change my mind, warrior. But thank you." She glanced back at her silver kit. "You have assured me that I am making the right decision." Smokepaw was confused, but didn't reply. "Hurry, warrior, take her. Dawn has almost broken." He glanced at the sky; she was right. He grabbed the kit by the scruff and returned to the apprentices' den, nudging Featherpaw.

She rose without complaint, taking Frozenkit from him. "C'mon," he murmured to her. "It's time to go." And for the final time, they exited the OceanClan camp.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Two**

As Rushfoot stepped back into the nursery, Spottedthorn raised her head. Her green eyes glimmered with curiosity; it had been the first Gathering she'd missed in a very long time. "How'd it go?"

"Not so well." He settled down next to her and licked her ear. "CliffClan tried to attack us. Spraystar restored order, though. He might actually consider sending us some kits."

"Mmm… That's good," Spottedthorn said drowsily. She lay her head down next to her sleeping kits and closed her eyes.

Rushfoot felt his heart squeeze. How could he have once hated her? She was beautiful, and she was quite kind to those that didn't insult her.

"Good night, Rushfoot," she murmured.

"Night, Spottedthorn." He moved to stand, but her voice brought him back down.

"Stay."

"Hmm?"

She lifted her head and turned her emerald eyes toward him. "I want you to stay until I go to sleep. Is that an unreasonable request?" she whispered.

Rushfoot looked around. The other queens were asleep. No one would see them. "No, I suppose it's not," he replied, and he lay down next to her. He buried his nose into her fur and listened to her breathing.

As her breaths evened out in sleep, Rushfoot stretched and prepared to head to the warriors den.

He nearly jumped out of his skin as she hissed, "Finch." Her claws extended and tore at the moss. "Finch. Cherry." Her tail flicked wildly and her ears whipped back and forth. "Don't…rats… No!" Her claws swiped at the air near Cherrykit's head.

Rushfoot snapped out of his temporary freeze mode and lay down next to her. He softly licked her head.

"Spottedthorn. It's okay, hush…" he murmured.

Her paw shot up and slit his muzzle, scarlet drops scattering over his sleeping kits.

"Spottedthorn!" he hissed. "Wake up!"

She leapt up, eyes wide. "I… What?" She squinted in the dark. "F-Finch?"

"No, Spottedthorn. I'm Rushfoot."

Her eyes widened and she sank to the ground, shivering. "Rushfoot… Rushfoot… Finch? Where is Finch, Rushfoot?"

"I do not know anyone named Finch."

"Finch! My mate! Where is he?"

Rushfoot ignored her question. "Do you know where you are, Spottedthorn?" he asked pointedly.

She swung her head side to side. Realization seemed to sink in as she scooted next to her kits. "The nursery. I'm in the FieldClan nursery."

"Why?"

"Because… Because I'm a FieldClan queen. I have kits." Her trembling figure seemed to nearly disappear into the moss. "Finch is dead."

Rushfoot lay down next to her again. "Who is Finch, Spottedthorn? Who is Cherry?"

"Finch… My mate. Cherry and the rest of my kits and he were… They were all murdered." She shook her head and lay back down. Rushfoot could feel her guards shoot back upward, locking him out. He hoped it wasn't forever.

Rushfoot licked her ear gently and shook himself. "I'll be right back; I'm going to the dirtplace." He needed to think about this.

He began to pad quietly through the camp. Russetbird was sleeping on her paws as a watch.

A scent hit his nostrils; OceanClan. He immediately yowled, "Wake up, everyone! OceanClan! Attack!"

Featherpaw heard the FieldClan watch yowl and flattened her ears against her head. She couldn't speak for the kit dangling from her mouth. Smokepaw rushed ahead of her, prepared to shield her and the kit from the warriors.

"We're not attacking!" he protested as the warriors shot out of the den. Their new Clan's warriors weren't too happy, claws unsheathed and threatening the newcomers with hisses.

"Stop!" The attacking cats froze in their tracks. Slowly, one by one, they all turned to face Darkstar on the Highrock. The tall, dark tom had threatening golden eyes. Featherpaw longed to be back in the apprentices' den with her brother and friends.

"What do you want?" the leader demanded.

"We…We come from OceanClan," Smokepaw said humbly, bowing his head and cowering down to the warriors. Featherpaw did the same. "We are their offering to a Clan in need."

Murmurs of unsettling went among the cats, mostly of spies.

"Silence!" Darkstar screeched. He looked back down at the apprentices. "Why did Spraystar take pity on us?"

Featherpaw set Frozenkit on the ground. "You requested kits and apprentices at the Gathering. Here we are."

"No warrior escorts?" Hawkfire, the deputy, demanded.

"No," Smokepaw replied.

"Why?" Dustcloud demanded. "Why would Spraystar send two new apprentices to us without escorts?" He stepped forward and began sniffing them. "And this kit, she's obviously maimed somehow. We don't need another cat's problem, kits," he sneered. "Go run along back to mommy."

Smokepaw hissed, unsheathing his claws and throwing his sister behind him. Dustcloud, too, unsheathed his claws.

"Dustcloud! Stop this, this instant!" Hawkfire howled. The cream tom ignored the deputy and snarled at the apprentice. The tom bushed out his fur.

Some of the queens poked their heads out of the nursery. Morningsnow stepped out slowly. "I have to get him to stop."

Skypool and Ripplesong, sisters, followed. "Morningsnow! Get back in here!"

Spottedthorn curled around her wiggling kits, not allowing them to leave.

"But I want to see the fight!" Flintkit squeaked. Cherrykit nodded eagerly in agreement, ready to follow Morningsnow out of the den.

"Those cats shouldn't fight like that," Aspenkit replied. Spottedthorn flicked her ear, picking up on the kit's odd philosophy. "It's not right."

"Why not?" Flintkit demanded. "It's awesome."

She, who had already determined that she wanted to be medicine cat, countered, "No, it's not. Cats get hurt and killed and it wastes herbs."

"Quiet down, kits," Spottedthorn ordered. Aspenkit settled down again, but Flintkit and Cherrykit were still determined to leave the nest.

Morningsnow darted in between the cats, desperate to keep her brother from attacking that apprentice. He didn't know what she did…didn't know anything.

She shoved Russetbird out of the way and threw herself between the two toms. "Dustcloud, Smokepaw, stop!" she shrieked.

"Why should I?" Dustcloud demanded. "He's an intruder in our camp!"

"He's our brother!"


End file.
